Forgotten shadows of the past are rising again. They engulf the living lands like a black wave of destruction... In these times of great sorrow, when countless hordes of monsters threaten to erase humans from existence, when all hope seems lost, mortals think the gods have abandoned mankind. But they haven't. They send their avatar - you!Devote yourself to two of ten powerful gods from the Greek Pantheon. Master the divine powers of your patron deities and summon mighty companions to aid you in the battle against evil. Who will you choose?

About Deities Mastery Mod

My core idea is to make a Mastery mod based on the Greek Pantheon, as close to the lore of greek mythology as it can be. There will be 10 new Masteries, each related to a major Olympian god. The only exception is Hecate who replaces Hades and is not an Olympian. The 10 god choises are:Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Dionysos, Hecate, Hephaistos, Hermes, Poseidon and Zeus.

The mod will consist of 3 separate parts, so I can work on different things when i get burned out. The three pars are:

Part I - Deities MasteriesNew skill trees, new pets and everything related to the main concept of the mod. See the next posts for more details on each god and mastery.

Part II - Expanded WorldAdds new monsters, music, items, quests, vendors, hirelings and eventually maps to the vanilla game. Increases spawn and difficulty. This part will be started after finishing the masteries. It will include:

1. Hirelings - you can rarely find formulae for Hireling Contracts or asquire them through quests. Contracts are equipable in artifact slot. Hirelings are only humans and use skills from vanilla game (not god related). Contracts are upgraded in each Difficulty to more powerful versions, giving your hireling additional skills. Stronger version require the weaker version as ingredient. Each game act will have different types of hirelings. Some examples:

2. Monster Gear Merchants - At the end of each Act there will be a monster gear merchant. He wil sell common monster items with small chance for rare MIs. Each merchant sells only monster gear from that Act. Aside from this monster gear mechants will sell monster dyes (only usable if you play a Monster PC mod - e.g. male is replaced by Minotaur). Monster menchants list:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Act 1 - The merchant before Knossos Palace will be transformed into a monster merchant. Act 2 - The merchant in the Valley of the Kings will be monster vendor.Act 3 - Not sure yet, if you have an idea of a suitable lone NPC in the end of Act 3, let me know.Act 4 - There will be machae monster vendor in some of the cells in Prison of Souls (i totally stole the idea from LoC, sorry )Act 5 - Same as Act 3, donno yet.

3. New Item Skills - MI items will grant a skill or a bonus to a skill, used from the monsters that wears it. Many unique items will also give new skills.

4. Changed Item Visuals - Many bad looking unique items will be replaced, reworked or retextured. Hopefully all items will look closer to history and will fit better with each other.

5. New Monsters - There will be more various types of monsters, heroes and bosses. I'm not sure if its possible to add new more monster races, but if it is, i would. Ideas of new monsters and bosses:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Greece Creatures

Silenoi - Corrupted guardians of Dionysos. Either will be type of recolored centaur or satyr brute.Tritons - From Ragnarok but in Act I, spawn with Ichtians.Sirens - From Ragnarok, Act I Greece.Corrupted Nymphs - Many types: naiads, dryads, oreads, oceanids... maenads will be a type of nymphs i think. at least they are in mythology.Treants (working name) - living trees, recolored Ascacophuses that can summon nymph spirits (hamadryads).

Egypt Creatures

Basilisks - have to check their looks, they will be either giant snakes or reptiles.Katoplebs - poison-breathing bulls in Egypt. Idk why, but I imagine them like those swamp castle breathing bulls in Heroes 3. Crocottas - greater hyenas in Egypt, pierce and physical resist. In greek legends crocottas are the crossbreed between lion and hyena.Centicores (Yales) in Egypt - (have to check wtf was that )Sphynx - Lion-human hybrid. Will be only made to an Egypt boss.Minions of Bastet - corrupted servants of the goddess Bastet, ebony skinned catwomen.Minions of Sekhmet - Another type of Egyptian "maenads", serving the war-goddess Sekhmet. Probably will wear reworked Nemean Lion set as MI.

Orient Creatures

Griffins - in Babylon.Amazons - In the area close to Babylon/Parthia. They are said to lived in Sarmatia. As descendants of Ares and the nymph Harmonia they will use skills from Ares Mastery.Ornithes Areioi (Birds of Ares) - Vulture-like birds which guard the Amazonian temples of Ares. They can throw razor-sharp feathers to the enemy, similar to the Stymphalian Birds slayed by Heracles.Zhen (Zhenniao, Poisonfeather Bird) - purple-green poisonous birds in China Jin Chan (Jin Chu, Chan Chu, Golden Toad) - A frog-like creatures with red eyes, golden skin and one leg that guard big piles of treasure (maybe rare encounter Aunorans that drop lots of gold). China. Minions of Li Shou - Li Shou is a Chinese goddess in the form of a cat, similar to Egyptian Bastet. Her minions will be "chinese maenads" that spawn along tigermen.Mogui/Mogwai - vengefull ghosts/demons in China. Dragonturtles in China.Nagas - snake-like people in some of the Orient caves.Rakshasas - Indian demons with many hands and blue skin that will appear in Tibet.Spirit Foxes/Nine-Tailed Foxes - Chinese evil spirits in the form of a fox, which can turn to women to seduce humans and consume their souls. Maybe a woman who spawn fox on death?Unicorns - Chinese unicorns look more like rhinoceros.Mushussu - Babylonian greature looking like a snake or a dragon.

Olympus Creatures

Golden Tripods - siege strider like costructs in Olympus. They were made by Hephaistos to serve on the feasts of the gods, but were spellbound by Typhon. Spawn with Automatoi.

Hades CreaturesBronze Bulls - Fire-breathing construct bulls in Rhodes. Made as a gift from Hephaistos to some king i think.Oneiri - basicly Dream nightmares, only enemies. Hades.Lampades - underworld naiads of the five Hades rivers. Many of them served Hecate, before they were coruppted by Hades for his war.

North CreaturesStymphalian Birds - man-eating birds with metalic feathers, which they throw like arrows to the enemy. Act 5 Corinth, spawn with bandits.

Other CreaturesWolves and Bears - scattered in different Acts.Celedones/Golden Maidens - Women made of gold which was created for servants of Hephaistos (Artifact Summons)Phoenix in Egypt (Artifact Summon)Dragons in Egypt?Dracaenae (Gorgon like creatures) in ? (must check)

6. Reworked Charms and Relics - With more monsters come new types of charms. When the mod is played along with Deities Masteries, all charms will be renamed to Throphies. Some of the vanilla monsters that usually dont drop charms (like satyrs or centaurs) will have their own charms. Relics will also change both name and effects. In Deities they will be called Sigils, and each will be bound to a certain god and Mastery. Very small chance for the relic to give +1 to all skills in the Mastery its related to. Ideas of relics and charms:

7. Hero Charms and Unique MIs - Each type of charm will have Heroic version, dropped only from heroes and bosses. Chance to drop a heroic charm will be like the chance for a soul in Soulvizier. The other type of soul-like things in Deities will be special unique items, dropped only from a certain quest-related hero or boss (non-animal). Remember how Ino dropped Ino's Claw bow in Soulvizier? Many types of heroes will have items like this, like MI's, but bound to them. For example Nessus can drop Nessus' Helm + Heroic Centaur Hoof.

8. Lore Parchments - like the easter egg parchments, but contain stories of legends and myths. Lore parchments will be needed for a quest in Rakhotis to restore the library.

9. New Quest Rewards - some of the vanilla quest rewards will be changed or improved. List of ideas:

- Some of the ingame foliage, trees, rocks and other environment have a small chance to drop herbs, stones, wood and other things when you click on it. Later these can be used for crafting recipes. The big obsidian stones for example can drop obsidian shards.I love the chest traps and clickable objects in LoC, so i woul love to implement this too. Not sure if they should show in the minimap tho... if there was a way the minimap to show them only if you have a special skill... Like herbalism or treasure hunting... hmmmm.... A large radius aura that makes them glow slghtly... in LoC the clickable objects are monsters or not...?- Survival Submod - vendors dont sell any potions and they drop very rarely from monsters and chests, or they must be crafted by ingredients, most items are trash - you cry from happiness if you see a single green item. Vendors sell mostly trash and/or the items are very expensive to buy... what else?- All Shrines can be mastery related. List of new shrines:Shrine of Mastery > Apollo (Shrine of Prophecy)Shrine of Healing > Ares (Shrine of War)Shrine of Thorns > Artemis (Shrine of Hunting)Shrine of Protection > Athena (Same name)Shrine of Experience > Dionysus (Shrine of Ecstasy)Shrine of Regeneration > Hecate (Shrine of Sorcery)Battle Marker > Hephaestus (Shrine of Fire)Shrine of Speed > Hermes (Shrine of Trickery) Shrine of Energy > Poseidon (Shrine of Earthquakes)Frostbite Stone > Zeus (Shrine of Thunder)Some shrines will be recolored. Each shrine can give +1 to all Skills to its Mastery (if possible).

APOLLOGod of the sun, music, prophecy, healing, archery and disease. Similar to old Dream mastery, but uses burn damage instead of electrical burn. His followers use healing skills, trances, songs, have burning auras and can spread sickness upon the enemy. Also has pet animals, related to Apollo.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Bow - Personal weapon, a gift from Hephaistos, can spread disease and cause sudden death. More magical than physical. 2. Staff / Rod - Not directly related to Apollo, but a symbol to his son Asclepius. 3. Lyre - Given to him by Hermes, a symbol of music and arts. Ingame will be represented by magic offhand/shield.

Animals and companions:1. Raven - Messenger of Apollo. Was white once, but turned black after bringing ill news to Apollo of his lover princess Coronis being unfaithful. Main pets.2. Phoenix - An Egyptian or Persian resurrecting fire-bird that lay its eggs in the temples of Apollo/Helios. Symbol of the sun. Timed summon pet.3. Other animals are the wolf, lion, dolphin, hawk and swan. His companions are the nine muses. (None of these will be included, except the muses, which may be related to a skill.)

ARESGod of war, rage, fear, bloodshed, and father of dragons (his sacred animals). The mastery is very similar to old Warfare mastery, but uses alot of bleed dmg and small amount of burn, also many skills have chance to cause fear. Old skills are reworked or upgraded.

Related Weapons:1. Spear - Ares' main weapon and symbol is the long war spear (doru) used by hoplites. Spear skills and bonuses.2. Shield - Not a main symbol, but he is always depicted with a shield. Some of the more offensive shield skills will go to him.3. Sword - He is also depicted with unsheathed sword as a secondary weapon. Sword skills and bonuses.

Animals and companions:1. Demonic Horses - Four fire-breathing horses that drive his chariot. Names are - Aithon (Red-Fire), Phlogios (Flame), Konabos (Tumult) and Phobos (Fear). 2. Dragons (Drakones) - Serpent-like monsters, offspring of Ares that guard groves and springs sacred to him. They are depicted like wingless giant snakes and breathe poison instead of fire. In greek myths Ares has at least two dragon sons - the Colchian and Ismenian Dragon.3. Spartoi - War-like men born from the teeth of Ares' dragons. That makes them his grandsons, lel. They are fearsome warriors, but not very clever - if you throw a stone between them, they usually kill each other.4. Ares' companions are many minor gods and daemons of war. Some of the gods are his sons Phobos and Deimos (Fear and Terror), Enyo/Eris (goddess of Strife/Discord, sister or lover of Ares); daemons include: Makhai/Machae (Battles), Alala (War-Cry), Achlys (Death-Mist), Homados (Battle Din), Hysminai (Combats), Kydoimos (Confusion), Keres (Death-Fates), Androktasiai (Slaughters), Proioxis and Palioxis (Onrush and Backrush), Polemos (War). 5. Animals related to Ares are the vulture, dog, boar, serpent, some types of owls, and Ornithes Areioi (Birds of Ares) - fabulous feather-throwing birds in Amazonian lands. Amazons themselves are offspring of Ares and the nymph Harmonia and have temples dedicated to him.

ARTEMISGoddess of the hunt, wilderness and animals, mistress of the moon. Similar to old Hunting mastery, but has more magical skills and does small portions of frostburn damage. New thing is the Moon tree. Bow and spear will use the same skills with slightly different bonuses, depending on the weapon you choose.

Related Weapons:1. Bow - One of her epithets is Toxotide, meaning "Archeress". 2. Javelins (Hunting Spears) - She sometimes carry shorter spears for hunting and fishing. 3. Thrown weapons - The other thrown weapons from Ragnarok will be included here.

Animals and companions:1. Nymphs - Many types, but most notable are the sixty Oceanides (probably Nephelai - rain-cloud nymphs), the twenty Amnisiades (Cretan Naiads of river Amnisos) and the three Hyperborean Nymphs (breeze nymphs, daughters of the north wind Boreas). The latter three were her closest attendants, and the name of each was related to an archery skill - Opis (Aim), Loxo (Trajectory) and Hecaerge (Distancing).2. Hunting hounds - Artemis has 13 or 14 hunting hounds, gifted to her by Pan. Half are males and half females. They are described so strong, that could tear a lion apart.3. Animals related to Atremis are the stag, deer, boar, bear. She had many mortal hunter companions (mostly women), some of them she made half-gods. I would love to make a golden deer as an ultimate summon, but for now i can't so i'll stick with the boar (she send giant boars after those who anger her).

ATHENAGoddess of the strategic aspect of war, courage, wisdom, crafts and protection. Closest to vanilla Defense mastery. Does small amounts of electrical burn.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Armor (Aegis) - Main symbol, a breastplate or cloak made from chymera/gorgon/goat skin. In Deities Athena will reduce Dex reqiurements for armors.2. Shield (Aegis 2) - Sometimes the Aegis is her shield. Often has a gorgon head (gorgoneion) on it, or it's mirror-like. 3. Spear - Not a main symbol, but she always carry a spear.

Animals and companions:1. Owl - Main symbol as a goddess of wisdom. Will be made silver and ultimate summon pet. 2. Other related creatures are the snake (as a symbol of wisdom); spider (she turn Arachne to this after weaving contest) and gorgon (she is the one who turn Medusa into a monster). 3. Not many other companions, except the goddess Nike (Victory). Will be related to a skill somehow.

DIONYSOSGod of the woods, celebrations, madness, ecstasy and wine. Closer to old Nature Mastery, but more offensive. Has satyrs and maenads for pets, causes drunkenness, madness, frenzy, regenereates fast, commands plants.

Related Weapons:1. Wand (Thyrsos) - Symbol of fertility. It's a short staff covered with ivy vines and a pine cone at its tip. 2. Wine cup (Kantharos) / Drinking Horn (Rhyton) - his symbols as a god of wine. Ingame will be represented by magic offhand/shield.3. Axe - One of his epithets in some parts of Greece was Dionysos Pelekys (Dionysos the Double-Axe).

Animals and companions:1. Maenads - Female companions in his ecstatic festivals (called Dionysia or Bacchanalia). The name "maenad" is used for nymphs as well as for human followers, so maybe in the mod there will be both types. According to theoi.com, the nymph ones were mix from wood nymphs (dryades), mountain nymphs (oreiades) and water nymphs (naiades). Other names for maenads: Thyades, Thyiai (early name around Delphi); Bacchantes, Bacchai, Bassarides (Roman counterparts); Mimallones, Klodones (Macedonian counterparts). More info on maenads: they are said to performed miracles with the thyrsos, making wine, milk or honey spring out from nowhere; they fought as warriors in the Indian wars of Dionysos; the bacchic frenzy gave them enough strength to tear apart the enemy with their bare hands. It is also said that while in frenzy, they cannot be hurt by enemy weapons and fire cannot burn them. 2. Satyrs - Goat-men companions. Most notable are: The three Arkadian Satyrs who were sons of Hermes and heralds of Dionysos; Silenus and his three sons, the Silens, who were fat elder satyrs and personal attendants of Dionysus; fourteen elite warrior satyrs who lead Dionysos troops in his war in India; Tityroi (flute-playing satyrs). Young satyrs (lvl 1 scouts) were called satyriskos.3. Elder Centaurs - There are twelve elite centaurs (called Lamian Pheres) that drive Dionysos chariot and serve as his elite guards. Sometimes they are depicted as satyr-shaped, other times as horse-men.4. Corybantes/Curetes/Dactyls - three, five, seven or nine demigod giants from Crete or Mount Ida in Phrygia that were sent by Zeus to guard infant Dionysus. Fathers of many nymphs and satyrs. Might be his ultimate summon. They are said to have war dances, in which they bash their shields like thunder.5. Sacred animals are all types of great cats - most often the panther, but also lynx, lion and tiger; foxes - roman Bassarides wear bassaris - fox pelt, also Dionysos probably send the monstrous Teumessian Fox/Cadmean Vixen in his anger; other animals are the bull and the snake.

HECATEGoddess of the dead, sorcery and witchcraft, ruler of the dark aspect of the moon. She is not evil however, she brings light in the dark and unlock the hidden mysteries to her devotees, also wards them from the living dead. She is given power over earth, sea and sky, so she is a master of the elements.

Related Weapons:1. Club (Torch) - Main symbol, used both to as a weapon and to bring hidden secrets into the light.2. Sword (Dagger) - Symbol of Hecate's power to cut through illusions, used in magic rituals and herbalism. 3. Wand (One hand) - Also because of the torch (it's aspect as an elemental weapon).

Animals and companions:1. Lampades (meaning Torch-Bearers, in Roman Nymphae Avernales, Infernal Nymphs) - underworld nymphs, companions of Hecate. They were a gift from Zeus for Hecate's loyalty in the Titanomachy (Hecate is a titaness, but she fought on the gods' side). They bear torches and accompany Hecate on her night-time travels and hauntings. Some accounts tell of how the light of the Lampads' torches has the power to bring prophetic visions or drive one to madness, depending on their desire (maybe Dream skills?). Greeks doesn't say much of their parentage - probably the daughters of various Underworld gods, daimones, river gods, or Nyx. In Deities i'll stick to the Roman version, according to which think they are Naiads, daughters of the five Hades river gods: Styx (River of Hatred), Acheron (River of Pain), Phlegethon (River of Flame), Lethe (River of Oblivion) and Cocythus (River of Sorrow) and i'll rework their skills to be related. 2. Empusas - In greek legends sometimes they are interchangeable with the Lamias and Mormos/Mormolykeai. Described as shapeshipting female demons or spectres that take the form of beautiful women and seduce men to eat their flesh and drink their blood. Have one donkey leg and one brass/copper leg. Empusas are servants of Hecate and she sends them to haunt those who anger her.3. Black Dogs - serve as familiars of Hecate. Sometimes they are only two and are tranformed mortals, in other legends there are packs of Stygian Hounds that follow her. 4. Polecat - transformed mortal sorceress, similar to the dogs.

HEPHAISTOSGod of fire, blacksmithing, inventions, mechanics, volcanoes. Similar to old Earth Mastery, but uses many mechanical devices and can craft automatons.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Club (Hammer) - His main symbol as a smith god. 2. Axe - Less common symbol, similar to the hammer. 3. Armor - Hephaistos is not depicted wearing armor, but he crafted many legendary armors for gods and heroes.

Animals and companions:1. Elder Cyclopes - A tribe of ancient fire Cyclopes that live in volcanoes. Long before Hephaistos was born, they forged Zeus thunderbolts and Poseidon's trident in the war against the Titans. After they started working in Hephaistos' forges. Compared to them, lesser Cyclopes like Polyphemus (a tribe of shepherds) are just noobs.2. Automatons - animate, metal statues in the shape of animals, men and monsters crafted by Hephaistos or Daedalus. The best of them could think and feel like men. They are many kinds of automatons, made from Hephaistos: Caibeirian Horses - a pair of bronze fire-breathing horses he crafted for his two sons; Caucasian Eagle - a giant bronze eagle who tortured Prometheus; Celedones (Golden Maidens) - a pair of automaton women, housekeepers of Hephaistos; Gold and Silver Dogs - metal watchdogs gifted to some king; Talos - a giant automaton that guarded Crete from pirates; a pair of Bronze Bulls in Colchis that breathed fire and were one of Jason's tests; Golden Tripods - wheeled animated tripods that served on the feasts of the gods in Olympus. 3. Animal symbols are the donkey (he is often riding one in vases) and the crane bird. Other companions are Aphrodite and Kharis (Goddess of Grace); and Cabeiri, his sons. Sometimes also satyrs.

HERMESGod of trickery, travel, adventures, messenger of the gods; he is a patron of heralds, thieves, herdsmen and acts as a psychopomp (guide of the souls to Hades). This mastery will be similar to old Rogue mastery, but probably won't use poisons, which will be moved to Hecate/Dionysus.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Wand (Caduceus) - Main symbol as a god of travel, heralds and diplomacy. 2. Sword - Sometimes carries it instead of the wand, maybe as a god of rogues . 3. Winged boots (Talaria) - symbol as a god of speed. Many skills will have speed bonuses, Hermes also will reduce total requirements (Lightweight skill).

Animals and companions:1. Not much info on him about followers, this is what i found: As a father of Pan, he's accompanied by mountain satyrs and nymphs (oreiades). His wife is sometimes Peitho (goddess of Persuasion). Has half-god sons from human lovers - Autolikos (thief that can change shapes of objects with touch) and Aethalides (Argonaut with unfailing memory). Also have 3 satyr sons (see Dionysos).2. Sacred animals are the hawk, turtle, hare and ram.

POSEIDONGod and ruler of the seas, earthquakes, creator of horses, second in power to Zeus himself. His mastery will use primary cold damage + some physial; i added it last so im not sure about it yet.Note: this is the only mastery that is not sure if will be included. I added it last, and it has some balance problems with the others.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Spear (Trident) - Main symbol as a god of the seas and earthquakes. 2. Staff (Trident 2) - When he bends the oceans, the trident is more used as a staff. 3. No idea :/

Animals and companions:1. Triton - In myths Triton is just one and son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. 2. Nereids - Sea nymphs, daugthers of sea god Nereus. They are attendants of Poseidon. 3. Divine offspring - Aiolos (god of wind); many minor sea and river gods. Some sources say even Telkhines are his sons, but more likely they are much older.4. Other creatures - Animals are the horse, bull, dolphin and the creature Hyppocampus (a horse with a fish tail). Also many sea monsters, most of them children ot Ceto and Phorkys, like the two Cetus monsters (Trojan and Etiopian), and three serpent-like women (drakainae) - Scylla, Thoosa and Echidna.

ZEUSThe king of the Olympian gods. Ruler of the storms, thunder and lightning, bringer of divine protection and judgement. The mastery will be similar to old Storm Mastery, but with new pets and reworked skills.

Skill tree:

Mastery Description:

Related Weapons:1. Javelins - Zeus' thunderbolts in mythology are basicly magical javelins.2. Staff - His symbol as a king of the gods. 3. Armor (Aegis 3) - In some legends Athena borrowed the Aegis from Zeus.

Animals and companions:1. Divine followers - Apart from the main ones like Hera or Hermes there are the three Moirae (Fates), Nike (Victory), Horae (Seasons), Kratos (Power), Themis (Judgement), Bia (Force) and Zelus (Rivalry). 2. Sacred animals - Bull (he takes its form to abduct Europe) and the giant Golden Eagle (two legends about it - either its the mortal Periphas, transformed from Apollo to serve Zeus, or he came to zeus in the war against the Titans as a good omen).

The tables above show horizontaly bonuses to which weapons are given from the mastery, what damage types it makes or what resists it has... etc.

For example with Apollo:Bonus Damages/Resists - Apollo skills add to Fire/Burn and Vitality/Vitality Decay (in Deities desease will be represented by vitality/vitality Decay instead of poison). There is also a skill that gives elemental resist. Hence the Fire/Vit/Elem.Stats - the mastery gives +Dex/Int when u increase it.Class - What is the basic class of follower of Apollo.Effect - Many skills in Apollo can use Mind Control, here called Charm. Its most specific for that mastery, same way as Artemis can Entrap/Immobilize.Weapons - Each mastery will have specific bonuses for 3 types of weapons, same way Hunting is good with bow/spear and Spirit with staves.Good vs - What Racial bonus the mastery gives. Every mastery will have bonus vs specific type of monsters.Pets - each mastery will have his own pets, connected to the given god somehow in mythology.Summon - Like the pets, but is temporary like Outsider.Skill trees - Represent the 6 main columns of skills in each mastery, each is connected to a specific aspect of that god.[/spoiler]